Start with small slopes, and gather information before entering committing terrain.
Continue to be wary of a buried layer of surface hoar. The crust that was shielding it is getting weaker.
Watch for isolated pockets of reactive windslab in wind-exposed terrain. Use extra caution below ridgecrests and in cross-loaded features.
A persistent weak layer of surface hoar is buried down 60-90 cm in the snowpack. A frozen crust was reducing the chance of triggering this layer, but it has started to break down and get weaker.
Several small, rider triggered windslab and dry loose avalanches were reported around treeline on Friday.
The surface hoar continues to cause concerning results in snowpack tests, and shows signs of instability like whumpfs and shooting cracks. Despite a lack of avalanche observations, we presume that large, human triggered avalanches are still possible in areas where the crust over it is thin or non-existent.
10-15 cm of recent snow has been redistributed by moderate southwest wind. This sits on old wind slabs, and sun crusts on steeper south aspects. In areas sheltered from the wind, 5-30 mm surface hoar has been preserved.
Down 30-50 cm a 5-15 cm thick, frozen crust exists. It has been observed up to 2350 m, but it is starting to break down at treeline and above, where it is thinner. A concerning layer of surface hoar buried in early december is 60-90 cm deep at treeline and above.
The lower snowpack is generally faceted, but is also moist in some areas in the south end of the forecast area.
Average treeline snowpack depths are between 80 and 150 cm. Snowpack depth tapers rapidly with elevation.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. No new snow expected. Ridgetop wind tapering off to very light southwest. Treeline temperature around -3°C. Freezing around 1250 m.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. No new snow expected. Light southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around -2°C with alpine temperature inversion. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. Possible trace of snow expected. Light to moderate south or southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -1°C with alpine above freezing layer.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 1-3 cm of snow expected. Light to moderate south or southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -3°C with alpine temperature inversion.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
